The Lost & Found, Leeds

Ex restaurant which goes back miles. Three weak real ales and further taps on the wall. Not a place I'd revisit but it was popular on Saturday evening.

This is a swanky bar on one of Leeds’ more prominent city centre drinking strips. A large pavement seating area outside the front of the pub gives way to the stone floored bar area with the servery sited over on the right hand wall. The bar has a dark wood counter with a metal gantry and fully mirrored bar back. There is some nice wood panelling opposite with a few limited seating options alongside, whilst high tables and stools stand under the front windows, creating the space which appears to be the designated drinking area. Beyond this, there is a decent sized rear space with exposed floorboards and an unusual centrepiece of hedge-lined staircases which appear to lead down to a basement area that I failed to explore. Padded benches and unusual chairs serve regular tables in the rear portion of the pub, supplemented by the odd tub chair here and there. Classical paintings line the walls and other stylistic touches include some stuffed birds, fancy light fittings and a couple of small trees. There is a small raised terrace out the back with more pavement seating, whilst inside we were treated to a soundtrack comprising lounge music, which whilst pretty dreadful, was a massive improvement on the loud pop music we heard blaring from here when we wandered past on a Saturday evening. This isn’t really the sort of bar you would imagine stocks real ale, but to my surprise there were three handpulls on the go, offering Ringwood Boondoggle, Marston’s 63 Deep and something called Lost Gold – a house beer presumably from the Marston’s stable. My half of the 63 Deep was a bit tired suggesting that they probably shift far more foreign lager than they do cask ale. The bar’s one major redeeming feature was the chap who served us, who stopped for a chat and was generally very friendly and helpful. I didn’t think much of this very corporate feeling identikit bar, although to be fair it has more character and individuality than similar chains like All Bar One and Slug & Lettuce. If it weren’t for the good service, I’d be struggling to find positives, but I imagine plenty of people like this kind of shiny, bland experience and I’m sure it will continue to do well.

Formerly a La Tasca, the Lost & Found is one of the newer sort of city-centre bars; less-obviously formulaic than an All Bar One but not as eclectic as a Cosy Club or one of the 'cafe than sells beer' Lounger type, and perhaps more in the modern 4* hotel mould? Anyway, it does do real ale, with Marston's 61 Deep, Boon Doggle and the 'house' (Brakspear) Lost Gold (£3.90). External seating is also available outside the front and back entrances.